Most of the WWII and post-WWII books I’ve read have centered on Europe, so I was intrigued to read one about Japan. Bill Baynes used a photograph as his inspiration for this story—three happy and laughing American GIs all bundled up against the cold,Most of the WWII and post-WWII books I’ve read have centered on Europe, so I was intrigued to read one about Japan. Bill Baynes used a photograph as his inspiration for this story—three happy and laughing American GIs all bundled up against the cold, and a small Japanese boy wearing rags that don’t quite cover his limbs. The background is bombed-out Tokyo. Baynes uses this incongruity to weave a story about these people—first from the boy’s perspective and then from one of the soldiers.

Harsh winters and no food create a dangerous situation for the boy (Isamu/Sam) and he goes to where the American sailors are docked and offers his services as a tour guide. One of the sailors, Joe, is charmed by the boy and the next day brings him a much-needed sandwich. Through a form of sign language and Joe’s efforts to help the boy and the rest of his family, we see the terrible ravages of war. Unfortunately, Joe’s efforts to help result in a sort of in-town version of “Lord of the Flies.”

I enjoyed the switch of POVs from the boy, who’s just old enough to understand what’s going on around him and the ramifications of various actions, to the sailor, who bumbles through life in typical American oblivion, thinking he’s helping but blinded by his own preconceptions and needs. Baynes has a lively voice and a knack for description. I enjoyed this quick read very much and look forward to more from him.

I read an ARC: This book is scheduled to release in August of 2018....more

I was looking for something fun to read, and I sure found it! This book, intended for YA audiences, offers a look at the darker side of being a teenaged Latino in San Jose California.

Middle-school-aged Miguel's living situation is horrible. His singI was looking for something fun to read, and I sure found it! This book, intended for YA audiences, offers a look at the darker side of being a teenaged Latino in San Jose California.

Middle-school-aged Miguel's living situation is horrible. His single mother rents out all surfaces and some floor space to migrant workers of questionable ethics and cleanliness. She's already a frantic mess when her older son, Miguel's brother Juan, is shot and killed at age 15. Convinced that it was a gang hit, Miguel's grief is all-consuming. Distracted in school by thoughts of what must have happened, he suddenly feels Juan's presence. Inside him. Juan's ghost can hear Miguel's thoughts and direct Miguel's body.

Frantic with a mixture of joy and fear, Miguel runs home, where Juan's girlfriend is being comforted by Miguel's mother. Maria sees Juan's ghost and screams, which sets off a dreadful series of events involving a homeless spirit-capturing ex-minister, a loving and grieving Uncle Tito, a priest who believes Miguel, a hair-trigger gun, and a whole collection of evil spirits.

There are some scary battles and the subject matter is dark, but I think it's appropriate for 5th grade and up. I enjoyed it enormously. Ms Knoblaugh has a compelling and enjoyable writing style, and I liked meeting her characters very much...more

I'm not a fan of Southern California. I suppose I got a bad first impression as a child, what with the smog and the freeways and all. But this book makes me want to go for a visit.

My dear friend sent me a paragraph once, and I'd long-since forgottenI'm not a fan of Southern California. I suppose I got a bad first impression as a child, what with the smog and the freeways and all. But this book makes me want to go for a visit.

My dear friend sent me a paragraph once, and I'd long-since forgotten it, until I read it in this book. At first, I didn't know why the book was in my stack of unread books, and the cover didn't help at all, as even the back is a mish-mosh of images--there's no explanation for this book!

But when I began reading, what fun! Frey provides a paragraph (or occasionally a list) of facts about the history of LA, and then tells little stories, three or four of them, none connected but all continuing at various points throughout the book. I'm not a fan of the multiple viewpoints style of writing, but this wasn't that.

Frey is telling the story of Los Angeles through the eyes of the characters in these stories--an immigrant daughter, a young married couple, a successful actor, a homeless man. There wasn't a single story I wouldn't have enjoyed on its own, and woven together with the history--it was fascinating. I couldn't put it down.

I'm very glad that my friend talked me into buying this. I don't know how long it had been in the stack, but I'm very glad that it floated to the top....more

This book was published in 1933, not all that long after the Barbary Coast was shut down and modern San Francisco took its shape. In that regard, it's clearly drawn from the writer's own experiences as well as some research.

I enjoyed the sense of thThis book was published in 1933, not all that long after the Barbary Coast was shut down and modern San Francisco took its shape. In that regard, it's clearly drawn from the writer's own experiences as well as some research.

I enjoyed the sense of the time that I got, going back to 1848 and as far forward as the 1920s. The book is light on contextual history, heavy on politics and prostitution. I needed a map, so I printed one from GoogleMaps, and taped it to the inside cover. I live in SF, but even so, all the street name-dropping, especially in the first quarter of the book, made me get lost. Someone less familiar with SF would have an even harder time of it.

At least a half of the book discusses prostitution, which seems out of proportion somehow. It was clearly a huge way of making money in the region, but I wished for more about legitimate businesses (restaurants, rooming houses, grocery stores, etc.) and perhaps a bit more about the other illegal activities. Mugging is barely covered, and shanghaiing gets only a dozen pages or so. There was a LOT of money in the area (people were making as much as $50,000 a year in mining and mining-related industries in the 1850s and 60s), and I would have liked more about those industrious souls. The upstanding citizens of SF are discussed in their prurient interest in the bawdy houses, and a kind of tourism industry took advantage of their interest. Otherwise, how the rest of the city was affected by the Barbary Coast wasn't mentioned.

Also, very little was discussed about the earthquake and fire of 1906, which, for those of us living in SF, provided a "before and after" structure to the city. Asbury focuses on who was mayor and whether that mayor was part of the prostitution problem or not, rather than taking a larger view.

I've only just begun researching the area and the time period, so perhaps some of my criticisms are because the information I wanted wasn't important to this author. In general, I enjoyed the book. The writer's style was pleasant, he didn't sound lascivious even though he devotes so much attention to the bawdier side of the Barbary Coast, and I did get a strong sense of which politicians were trying to make SF a better place and which were trying to get rich off the efforts of others.

I would recommend this book, even though I gave it a lowish rating....more

Like other books from James Patterson, there's a certain formula to this one. I kept waiting for Alex Cross to appear in the book--his name is in the title, after all. He's only the descendant of a key character, which is implied, I guess, if you reaLike other books from James Patterson, there's a certain formula to this one. I kept waiting for Alex Cross to appear in the book--his name is in the title, after all. He's only the descendant of a key character, which is implied, I guess, if you read a lot of books in the series.

What I DID like about the book was the view into a part of American history that is shameful. Patterson shows the wrongness of thinking very clearly and without tiptoeing around. His characterization of Theodore Roosevelt is straight out of "Arsenic and Old Lace" so I found it funny, which may have been the intention. Maybe not.

I guess I recommend this book if you like others that Patterson wrote. I gave it three stars because of the view into history that he provides. For quality of writing, it was more of a two-star read....more

This book surprised me on several levels. For one, there was a romance as a central theme, and because the protagonist is male (as is the writer), it had a very different feeling and texture than other books I've read with romance as a central theme.This book surprised me on several levels. For one, there was a romance as a central theme, and because the protagonist is male (as is the writer), it had a very different feeling and texture than other books I've read with romance as a central theme. I liked it!

Robert Louis Stevenson (of Treasure Island fame) fell in love with an older married women who'd just lost a child to serious illness. The woman (Fanny Osbourne) returns his affections, but is loathe to relinquish her secure but unhappy marriage to be an unstable and unsuccessful writer's wife. Her surviving children don't have any trouble throwing more trouble their way, and his wealthy but ultra-conservative father is no help either. The story takes us from France to the wilds of California and off to the stormy wilderness of Scotland, mostly in pursuit of love, and somewhat in pursuit of a good story.

Another thing I really enjoyed was how much we learned about RL Stevenson's struggles--with his health, with his work, and with his personal life. I especially like a little sojourn the dejected writer makes with a personable donkey and a similar one that he makes in California in a state of fevered delirium.

The locations where the various scenes take place are characters themselves. The descriptions are vivid, with quirky little details that make the settings pop into my head as if they were my own memories.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one (and many more from Mark Wiederanders!...more

This book was very disappointing. The time period (the succession of Mary Queen of Scots and her son James) is terrifically interesting, but Garrett waters it down with oblique references, never really proclaiming who the "speaker" is for chapter aftThis book was very disappointing. The time period (the succession of Mary Queen of Scots and her son James) is terrifically interesting, but Garrett waters it down with oblique references, never really proclaiming who the "speaker" is for chapter after chapter, non-standard use of punctuation for conversations, thoughts, and narrative, and an ever changing PoV. He hardly ever uses complete sentences to the point that when I read a bit of it aloud, I felt like I was burping. Really. I even told someone who asked about it that reading it was like listening to someone burp the alphabet.

Every now and then, the thing was redeemed by artful language choices and elegant descriptions, and it was for these tidbits that I read all 538 pages.

Had Garrett (who's written rather a lot of books--I have NO intention of finding out if the others are better) given us some surrounding detail, some of the facts of the lives he was imagining, I might have enjoyed it. Instead, I spent some time reading Wiki pages (which didn't exist when this book was first published) trying to figure out who the various characters were and what on earth their objectives might be.

I gave this two stars instead of one because there WERE some nice turns of language and I did learn about the period because he got me curious so I looked it up....more

Historical Info for Historical Fiction Readers
— 1527 members
— last activity Jan 16, 2019 07:18AM
Information about eras past in different parts of the world. Help for readers who may feel lost in an unfamiliar historical setting, may not understanInformation about eras past in different parts of the world. Help for readers who may feel lost in an unfamiliar historical setting, may not understand the terminology of the period and may just want to get a feel for the time before stepping into it vicariously....more

History Buffs United
— 507 members
— last activity Dec 07, 2018 12:23AM
This group is for anyone who loves to read or write historical fiction. Our purpose is to recommend great reads, share our own writing, and help felloThis group is for anyone who loves to read or write historical fiction. Our purpose is to recommend great reads, share our own writing, and help fellow historical fiction writers when they get stuck. I welcome everyone to have a great time and don't be afraid to start discussion topics!...more

Medieval Nonfiction Book Club
— 123 members
— last activity Jan 28, 2015 10:47AM
This book group reads nonfiction books on various topics in medieval European history, both academic and popular history. Group reads can last from onThis book group reads nonfiction books on various topics in medieval European history, both academic and popular history. Group reads can last from one month to many months for bigger books.
Members are encouraged to discuss the group read and other books in the discussion section, as well as to recommend books for the group read. Other members use the discussion area to ask questions regarding other recommended books.
The Medieval Nonfiction Book Club started as a personal project doing research for a medieval exhibit and accompanying programs for a museum. ...more

History: Actual, Fictional and Legendary
— 1069 members
— last activity Dec 10, 2018 08:05AM
This group is for anyone whose interest in History goes beyond textbooks. While I enjoy reading books that cover actual events and actual people, I alThis group is for anyone whose interest in History goes beyond textbooks. While I enjoy reading books that cover actual events and actual people, I also enjoy Historical Fiction.
Often I learn as much from reading Historical Fiction as I would from reading a factual account of the same period. For example: the Aubrey/Maturin Series by Patrick O'Brian which takes place during the Napoleonic Wars taught me more about those times than anything else I've read.
Legendary History can be of two or three types: one, history of periods for which there are few sources or little proof, two, alternative history like the Harry Turtledove books on the Civil War. A third might be the mixture of history and Fantasy like [Author: Diana Gabaldon's] Outlander Series.
Actually if a member wants to call something historical who am I to argue.
Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...more